When using agricultural equipment, it is common to pull a towed vehicle behind a tow vehicle. For example, during a harvesting operation, it is common to pull a grain cart or gravity box behind a tractor. When the grain bin in the combine is full, the grain cart or gravity box is pulled along side of the combine, the unloading auger is swung to the side of the combine, and the grain is offloaded into the cart or gravity box. The full cart or gravity box may then be transported to a dryer location, such as an on-farm batch or bin dryer, or a local elevator.
As another example, it is also common to pull a fertilizer spreader behind a tractor for application of fertilizer, lime, etc. to an agricultural field.
As still another example, it may be useful to pull a series of vehicles in a train behind a tow vehicle. For example, a ground-conditioning implement may be towed behind a tractor in series with a commodity cart for transporting fertilizer, pesticide, or other material. Similarly, a seed-planting implement may be towed behind a tractor in series with a commodity cart for transporting seeds.
When pulling a towed vehicle such as an agricultural cart, wagon, spreader or the like behind a tractor, the weight of the towed vehicle when full with product can be substantial. For this reason, it is common to use a relatively large tractor to pull such a towed vehicle. The weight effects of a towed vehicle on a tow vehicle are further compounded when a number of towed vehicles are connected together in a train arrangement, such as a number of loaded gravity boxes which are trained together and pulled to a dryer location using a single tractor.
What is needed in the art is a way of towing a heavy towed vehicle or train of towed vehicles, without adversely affecting the operation of the tow vehicle, the towed vehicle, or other vehicles in the train.